First thing you need to know is Monday did not go at all as planned. See, I had the day figured out. Meet with friends first thing, then a Cattle Dog candidate chat in Homosassa, followed by a full afternoon of blogging delight. A phone call interrupted those plans. The Cattle Dog chat was moved to the afternoon. Around 3:30, I realized that my perfectly planned day was kaput and I needed a Plan B. Here’s what to know about Rep. Ralph Massullo: My politics and his do not align. That’s not surprising. Massullo totes the GOP company line from the governor on down, he embraces former President Donald Trump, and I cringe every time Ralph mentions “woke” in a speech. This is what leadership looks like. Leadership is a man in green uniform standing at the microphone, fumbling over the simplest of questions, and instead finding it easier to simply lash out. Leadership is throwing even your most ardent supporters under the bus to make a point. And that point is: I’m right, you’re wrong. End of discussion. If it’s County Commission Tuesday that’s where to find me. Every other week I’m in my seat in the last row of the Courthouse chambers for another day of local government. It’s what I do. There’s just no way to ease into this. We’re going to talk about the government today. Specifically, the capital improvements program, referred to as the CIP and pronounced See-Eye-Pea. Disclaimer: I’m a big fan of Vickie Smith. We’re not close, but I’ve known her for quite a few years. She always presents herself to me as bright, funny, and engaging. Someone with an attention to detail. Vickie is a Citrus High School teacher, and for 10 years headed up the teachers’ union. Had a professional beef with a certain local media this week. The details I’ll keep to myself, but it caused me to think about the differences between a newspaper story and Just Wright Citrus blogs, particularly in the area of sourcing information. It’s a significant difference, and one I take extremely seriously. Then there’s the School Board race. It’s not the lowest rung on the political ladder, but close. Seems odd, right? That’s reality. The League of Women of Voters of Citrus County had the School Board District 2 candidates at their meeting Thursday. You can see the turnout from today’s photo. Today’s subject: People who believe rules don’t apply to them. You know these people. The ones always pushing the envelope constantly seeing what they can get away with. I appreciate that to an extent. I jokingly used to tell friends that the “authorized personnel only” signs on office doors in the Lecanto Government Building were just suggestions. Now the doors all have key-code locks on them. Dang. At some point, I gotta wonder. Is he trying to lose? We’re referring, of course, to Sheriff Mike Prendergast, whose relations with the community continue to deteriorate with a series of baffling moves. I can’t recall a single politician taking such a dive in community support. And it’s not like people are on his case because they’re upset about crime or law enforcement presence. |
AuthorMike Wright has written about Citrus County government and politics for 36 years. Archives
May 2024
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